Black stuff in sump and the death of my chaeto??

[psimitry]

So a while ago when I rebuilt my sump, I decided to have another go at a refugium. I had a bit of chaeto in my tank that was the last of a chaeto culture that I got a long time ago and I had tried over and over again to get a refugium going with no luck (I could keep it in my tank but for some reason, whenever I put it in the sump under a 18W 5100K fluorescent floodlight, it would die soonafter).

In this case, I added substrate in the form of miracle mud to the tank. I repositioned the light and everything seemed to be going GREAT. I was dosing iron regularly, and the thing seemed to be doing really well. I was finally seeing some chaeto algae growth.

Then the black crap started growing in there. I don't know what it is, but it essentially started growing in the filter bags I have in there (which, to be fair is where it stayed for the most part). I also started to get some cyanobacteria and some red bubble algae (also assumed to be cyano). I assume the cyno outbreak was due to the 'fuge light being left on all the time as was recommended to me.

Life was good in Psimitry's 'fuge for a couple of months.

Fast forwards to today. Life is not so good in the 'fuge. Unfortunately the light oddly broke a couple of weeks ago so I had to replace it (used the same brand). The chaeto had started to turn white on me beforehand so I knew something was wrong.

In addition to the chaeto dying, I have black (almost protein skimmate looking) stuff growing on the inputs and outputs of my sump baffles. It's some pretty gross looking stuff.

Anyone have any idea why things were so good in my 'fuge for a while and suddenly things have gone to crap? Oddly enough, my display tank looks better than it has in... well ever. It looks pretty damn good right now.

[Randall_James]

sometimes the iron levels drop too low and macroalage starts to have problems. (you should test prior to supplement but a single dosing should indicate if that is the issue or not)

As far as the other "crud" goes, it is possible it is some type of algae or bacteria.

Either way it is doing what you want, depleting nutrient in the sump instead of display. You can scrape and vacuum the stuff out (nutrient export) as well.

Another thing is that often the macro algae reaches a point where it quits thriving (growing in volume) at this point is is pretty useless. Harvest 20-50% of it when this happens. It can then start to use up excess nutrient again.

if the circulation in the sump is pretty low, it can contribute to the "slime" growing, I have a 100Gph circulation pump in my Anemone tanks sump to keep it stirred up.

[psimitry]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10061696#post10061696 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
sometimes the iron levels drop too low and macroalage starts to have problems. (you should test prior to supplement but a single dosing should indicate if that is the issue or not)

Tried that. Chaeto is still dying.

Another thing is that often the macro algae reaches a point where it quits thriving (growing in volume) at this point is is pretty useless. Harvest 20-50% of it when this happens. It can then start to use up excess nutrient again.


Tried this too.

It sucks too 'cause at this point I'm going to have to re-procure a new culture of chaeto in order to try again. :(

[Randall_James]

well it is possible that you just do not have enough "free" nutrient to support the colony. (suppose that is a good thing)

I would just let it go without unless you start to get some nuisance algae starting to appear in the main display. At that time, try it again.

When you do go to try again, just go the the livestock section here at RC and you can get a quart bag or so for 5-9 bucks or just get a wad from someone local..(I used to throw out gallons of the stuff a month when I had my big tank running full tilt)

[psimitry]

It's actually kind of a bummer 'cause the main reason I wanted the chaeto is for plankton food production as opposed to nutrient levels.

It's quite a shame.

[Randall_James]

? you lost me, how do you mean for plankton food production? Chaeto would actually detract from plankton production in theory as it consumes nutrient just as phyto would

[psimitry]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10061727#post10061727 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
? you lost me, how do you mean for plankton food production? Chaeto would actually detract from plankton production in theory as it consumes nutrient just as phyto would

The theory being that the chaeto would provide an optimal growth environment for plankton type foods? Granted, it would consume nutrients, but since I dose phyto and whatnot I would have thought that there would be enough to go around.

[psimitry]

Is it not true that chaeto promotes plankton growth?

[spleen93]

Chaeto promotes pod growth, not plankton - just by providing a safe fish-free environment for them to grow. Maybe that's what you meant? Amphipods and copepods can be useful in terms of feeding certain fish (e.g. mandarins)

Spleen

[bad badger 1]

what flow have you got going in the fuge(turn over)!!!!! if its lowyou mite want to add a power head!!!! id recommend going to atleast 10x turn over really id go 15 to 20x however you don’t want the mm blowing around!!!! You could add another 18w tube(i no its all money) but i feel so many people under light the fuge!!! is it a newer tank?

[Randall_James]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10067127#post10067127 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bad badger 1
id recommend going to atleast 10x turn over really id go 15 to 20x however you don’t want the mm blowing around!!!! 10 -20X turnover in the fuge? Not.....

[bad badger 1]

why not many people run a high turn over in the sump!!!! the only limit is if substrate is getting blown around!!! High flow it would most likely stop that black stuff!!!

[psimitry]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10067101#post10067101 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleen93
Chaeto promotes pod growth, not plankton - just by providing a safe fish-free environment for them to grow. Maybe that's what you meant? Amphipods and copepods can be useful in terms of feeding certain fish (e.g. mandarins)

Spleen

Pods (specifically copepods) is indeed what I meant.

[Randall_James]

just get yourself a stawberry basket and load it with some reef rubble (bioballs work pretty good too)

[spleen93]

That would certainly be another way to do it if you can't keep your chaeto alive.

Spleen